I'm taking this Tier 1 program in order to be prepared for wherever my career may take me. I have been working towards administration for a few years now (thanks to a few super supportive bosses) and want to be ready when my big break comes. My husband and I are ready to start a family so by completing the program now, I'll have it under my belt and I can use it when I'm ready. Then I'm never going to school again...I mean it this time!
I love seeing how other teacher's integrate technology into their curriculum, but I'm a bit intimidated by it myself. Not the technology, but making it both use-friendly and meaningful for my students. My current position is an Upper Grade Curriculum Coach which lends itself well to designing instruction which integrates technology. My job is to support 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers in whatever way I can. Technology integration is one option...I may even be able to grab the attention of my "resisting" teachers with a great technology lesson. We shall see...
Reflections
I think your earrings are dazzling. Perhaps I can pick up a pair on ebay! Bling Bling ...And those lips, wow! They really match your eye color!
-Tori
The Wikipages, along with social bookmarking, can be very useful in my job. I work with 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers in all curricular areas. It is difficult to get these teachers to find time in their busy schedules to meet with me for grade-level collarboration outside of the bi-weekly administrator-mandated collaboration meetings.
Wikipages would be a way for us to have an on-going grade-level dialog about pressing issues. For example, I am currently working on refining the way writing is taught at our school and this would be a wonderful way to provide teachers an opportunity to provide input at their convenience...much more efficent than "reply to all" via district email.
The social bookmarking would be a great way for teachers to share information in content areas. We just got a new social studies adoption and it would facilitate the quickness with which teachers are comfortable with the program if they had an easy way to share their research.
I don't know how realistic it would be to utilize either of these programs with students because I don't have a clear idea of how many of our students have reliable computer access...not many I would imagine. However, if a teacher did a class survey and discovered that several students did, they could take the information they learned from me using the programs and apply it to their instruction.
This has been some very helpful information that I didn't know was out there!
The Powerpoint information was very interesting and helpful. I am currently presenting a Test-Taking Strategies PPT to the upper grade classrooms at my site. This made me realize how overloaded some of the pages are with information and that makes me wonder how helpful it is to students. I am now considering creating a new PPT on the same information based on the principles in Presentation Zen for the students.
As a teacher, I have dealt with many of the same struggles as the author. I now wonder how my administrators could have created cultures in which I could have avoided those feelings of inadequacy and nervousness. The first would be to take concrete steps to create a collaborative culture. Allow teachers to team both vertically and horizontally so that each is sure that they are building on what was taught the year before and are providing a solid foundation for the next. This would alleviate the doubt of having not taught enough. Also, an administrator could find ways for teachers to watch each other during instruction. Encourage them to look for the instructors strong points and see what they could incorporate into their own classrooms.
Another step towards a stronger culture is to make productive collaboration happen. It is not enough to simply encourage it, the time needs to be regular and structured until teachers are comfortable with each other and begin to take it to a new level on their own. The administrator should take part in this collaboration and model personal reflection as tools for improvement. In addition to building these personal relationships among staff, teachers should be encouraged to connect with their students as well. This may mean allowing teachers to take risks and try new teaching methods and strategies. An administrator should also be sure to publicly reward the successes.
Lastly, an administrator should visit classrooms often so that teachers do not feel that they are on-stage when they are visited by others. Teachers are not private practitioners and the school should be made open to all who wish to visit and the administrators should encourage visitors by making their pride in their teachers and their practices public knowledge.
Response
I wholeheartedly agree with the need for a collaborative environment at the school. Each person can learn so much from their colleagues. We all entered this profession with different ideas, experiences, and backgrounds. We can help each other feel comfortable in the classroom and build a network of ideas within our own school communities. An administrator who supports this with time and encouragement will watch their school site evolve in a very short period of time. My current administrator has done this on our school site. Not only has seen a positive shift in our culture and an increase in collaboration, she has watched the students' academic performance fly through the roof. I also agree with the need for administrators to be a constant presence in classrooms. Then, they can be seen as support and there to help, instead of somebody who is only there to evaluate. This would then lead to the inclusion of the administrator in the collaborative culture. -ewelden
Response
I like how you framed the article within the context of collaboration. I think that can be a sticky-wicket (am I dating myself?) if there is a resistance to this. Structuring time can get bogged down in issues of time and commitment, whether individual or union driven. Does the stronger culture drive towards collaboration or does the collaboration drive towards stronger culture? Leading by example will be a primary contact leading to risk-taking within the "heart" of the staff members.
Raymond
Notes
yahoo widgets (type it into google or yahoo)
Use a Wikispace page for PLCs...articles, graphs, photos, etc. are all on page for all teachers to utilize at any time. May more clearly help define PLC, mission, vision, etc. if information is available 24-7. Even notes from SLT meetings so entire staff is on-board with where we are headed.
Welcome to my page!
I love seeing how other teacher's integrate technology into their curriculum, but I'm a bit intimidated by it myself. Not the technology, but making it both use-friendly and meaningful for my students. My current position is an Upper Grade Curriculum Coach which lends itself well to designing instruction which integrates technology. My job is to support 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers in whatever way I can. Technology integration is one option...I may even be able to grab the attention of my "resisting" teachers with a great technology lesson. We shall see...
Reflections
I think your earrings are dazzling. Perhaps I can pick up a pair on ebay! Bling Bling ...And those lips, wow! They really match your eye color!
-Tori
The Wikipages, along with social bookmarking, can be very useful in my job. I work with 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers in all curricular areas. It is difficult to get these teachers to find time in their busy schedules to meet with me for grade-level collarboration outside of the bi-weekly administrator-mandated collaboration meetings.
Wikipages would be a way for us to have an on-going grade-level dialog about pressing issues. For example, I am currently working on refining the way writing is taught at our school and this would be a wonderful way to provide teachers an opportunity to provide input at their convenience...much more efficent than "reply to all" via district email.
The social bookmarking would be a great way for teachers to share information in content areas. We just got a new social studies adoption and it would facilitate the quickness with which teachers are comfortable with the program if they had an easy way to share their research.
I don't know how realistic it would be to utilize either of these programs with students because I don't have a clear idea of how many of our students have reliable computer access...not many I would imagine. However, if a teacher did a class survey and discovered that several students did, they could take the information they learned from me using the programs and apply it to their instruction.
This has been some very helpful information that I didn't know was out there!
The Powerpoint information was very interesting and helpful. I am currently presenting a Test-Taking Strategies PPT to the upper grade classrooms at my site. This made me realize how overloaded some of the pages are with information and that makes me wonder how helpful it is to students. I am now considering creating a new PPT on the same information based on the principles in Presentation Zen for the students.
Shared Vision of Learning
Culture
Management
The Courage to Teach
As a teacher, I have dealt with many of the same struggles as the author. I now wonder how my administrators could have created cultures in which I could have avoided those feelings of inadequacy and nervousness. The first would be to take concrete steps to create a collaborative culture. Allow teachers to team both vertically and horizontally so that each is sure that they are building on what was taught the year before and are providing a solid foundation for the next. This would alleviate the doubt of having not taught enough. Also, an administrator could find ways for teachers to watch each other during instruction. Encourage them to look for the instructors strong points and see what they could incorporate into their own classrooms.Another step towards a stronger culture is to make productive collaboration happen. It is not enough to simply encourage it, the time needs to be regular and structured until teachers are comfortable with each other and begin to take it to a new level on their own. The administrator should take part in this collaboration and model personal reflection as tools for improvement. In addition to building these personal relationships among staff, teachers should be encouraged to connect with their students as well. This may mean allowing teachers to take risks and try new teaching methods and strategies. An administrator should also be sure to publicly reward the successes.
Lastly, an administrator should visit classrooms often so that teachers do not feel that they are on-stage when they are visited by others. Teachers are not private practitioners and the school should be made open to all who wish to visit and the administrators should encourage visitors by making their pride in their teachers and their practices public knowledge.
Response
I wholeheartedly agree with the need for a collaborative environment at the school. Each person can learn so much from their colleagues. We all entered this profession with different ideas, experiences, and backgrounds. We can help each other feel comfortable in the classroom and build a network of ideas within our own school communities. An administrator who supports this with time and encouragement will watch their school site evolve in a very short period of time. My current administrator has done this on our school site. Not only has seen a positive shift in our culture and an increase in collaboration, she has watched the students' academic performance fly through the roof. I also agree with the need for administrators to be a constant presence in classrooms. Then, they can be seen as support and there to help, instead of somebody who is only there to evaluate. This would then lead to the inclusion of the administrator in the collaborative culture.-ewelden
Response
I like how you framed the article within the context of collaboration. I think that can be a sticky-wicket (am I dating myself?) if there is a resistance to this. Structuring time can get bogged down in issues of time and commitment, whether individual or union driven. Does the stronger culture drive towards collaboration or does the collaboration drive towards stronger culture? Leading by example will be a primary contact leading to risk-taking within the "heart" of the staff members.
Raymond
Notes
yahoo widgets (type it into google or yahoo)
Use a Wikispace page for PLCs...articles, graphs, photos, etc. are all on page for all teachers to utilize at any time. May more clearly help define PLC, mission, vision, etc. if information is available 24-7. Even notes from SLT meetings so entire staff is on-board with where we are headed.
Take my survey!
See the weather!
See my Technology PowerPoint